Sulla serves under Marius during the war in Africa and is the man who receives Jugurtha from his disgruntled relative. Sulla, naturally boastful, is credited with ending the war which does not sit well with Marius though Marius does not believe Sulla is a real threat at first. Sulla turns to politics, loses his first bid for praetorship but wins the second and is accused by Caesar of having "bought it." Sulla often seems to have the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time and is the first Roman approached by the Parthians for an alliance.

At fifty, he is appointed consul, has been married several times and is always focused on the future. An evil man named Sulpicius bands with Marius and the senate enacts a suspension of business. Sulpicius' armed "bodyguards" attack the assembly and Sulla...